Some have pointed to their lack of cutting edge. Some have pointed to their opponents' rugged determination. But many in Spain have blamed their defeat to Switzerland in their opening World Cup game on Sara Carbonero, the partner of the Spain captain Iker Casillas.

Casillas was at least partly at fault for Gelson Fernandes's goal that gave Switzerland their 1-0 win and fingers have already been pointed at Carbonero, a journalist at a Spanish TV station, who prior to the game was filming footage to camera behind Casillas's goal.

Many fans have been angered by her presence in South Africa, fearing it could prove a distraction for the goalkeeper and prove a destabilising influence within the squad. Carbonero was asked by her own TV station, Telecinco, about her influence. "Can I destabilise the team?" she said. "I think it is nonsense."

Carbonero then spoke to Casillas in a post-match interview, opening her questions with: "We've never lost to Switzerland - what do you think they did well today?" "They were solid at the back, there were one or two isolated good plays, goal kicks, corners, and then there was the goal which bounced around like a pinball machine," Casillas responded. "We're going to be annoyed - it's tough that it turned out like that, but you have to try and take the positive, and it was a good match."